In the run-up to the Punjab Assembly elections of 2022, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal projected himself as the architect of a new Punjab. Addressing packed rallies across the state, Kejriwal promised to wipe out corruption, bring mining under strict government control, and generate thousands of crores in additional revenue. He vowed that with an “honest government” in place, Punjab’s coffers would overflow — funding schools, hospitals, and infrastructure without a single rupee of additional borrowing. These promises became a cornerstone of AAP’s campaign, striking a chord with voters weary of decades of fiscal mismanagement.
Three years later, the reality on the ground is the stark opposite. Punjab’s public debt has ballooned to over ₹3.5 lakh crore, according to official figures, placing it among the most indebted states in India. Far from generating surplus funds through mining reforms, the illegal sand mining problem persists, with opposition parties alleging that politically connected contractors continue to thrive. Development projects — from road repairs to welfare schemes — are increasingly being financed through fresh loans, raising the spectre of a debt trap that future generations will be forced to pay for. The much-touted promise of running Punjab without borrowing now lies in tatters.
Equally troubling is the emergence of what critics are calling a “shadow government” in Punjab. A sizeable chunk of the state’s political and administrative decisions appears to be influenced — even dictated — by AAP leaders from Delhi who hold no constitutional posts in Punjab. Many of these figures were rejected by Delhi voters in earlier elections, yet today they sit in positions of influence over Punjab’s departments, without the mandate or legal authority to do so. This unprecedented interference raises serious constitutional questions and fuels resentment among those who believe Punjab’s governance should remain firmly in the hands of its elected representatives.
The optics are even more damaging when former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal himself visits Punjab and makes policy announcements, signs off on schemes, or issues directives to officials — powers he does not hold under the law. Constitutionally, only Punjab’s chief minister and ministers can direct the state’s bureaucrats, yet these lines are routinely blurred. While party leaders can instruct their own cadre, they cannot order government officers — and doing so unofficially undermines administrative norms and the principles of federalism.
Political analysts argue that this centralised control by AAP’s Delhi leadership is not just a political overreach but a democratic deficit. Punjab’s cabinet ministers risk being reduced to figureheads while key decisions are shaped by unelected outsiders. The result is a dual power structure where the public face of governance lies in Chandigarh, but the real levers are pulled from Delhi. This dynamic erodes Punjab’s political autonomy and sets a dangerous precedent where a state government becomes a satellite of its party’s high command.
Meanwhile, the failure to deliver on core economic promises — ending corruption in mining, boosting revenue collection, and reducing debt — has sparked growing disillusionment among the very voters who gave AAP a historic mandate. If the current trend continues, Punjab faces not only an escalating financial crisis but also an erosion of public trust in the very idea of “alternative politics” that AAP once championed. With elections on the horizon, Kejriwal and his party must answer a pressing question: Was the promise of a self-reliant, corruption-free Punjab a genuine blueprint for reform — or merely a campaign slogan that evaporated once power was secured?